From the #1 New York Times bestselling
author comes the story of lady-in-waiting Margaret Pole and her unique view of
King Henry VIII’s stratospheric rise to power in Tudor England.

Regarded as yet another
threat to the volatile King Henry VII’s claim to the throne, Margaret Pole,
cousin to Elizabeth of York (known as the White Princess) and daughter of
George, Duke of Clarence, is married off to a steady and kind Lancaster
supporter—Sir Richard Pole. For his loyalty, Sir Richard is entrusted with the
governorship of Wales, but Margaret’s contented daily life is changed forever
with the arrival of Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride,
Katherine of Aragon. Margaret soon becomes a trusted advisor and friend to the
honeymooning couple, hiding her own royal connections in service to the Tudors.

After the sudden death of
Prince Arthur, Katherine leaves for London a widow, and fulfills her deathbed
promise to her husband by marrying his brother, Henry VIII. Margaret’s world is
turned upside down by the surprising summons to court, where she becomes the
chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. But this charmed life of the
wealthiest and “holiest” woman in England lasts only until the rise of Anne
Boleyn, and the dramatic deterioration of the Tudor court. Margaret has to
choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical king, or to her
beloved queen; to the religion she loves or the theology which serves the new
masters. Caught between the old world and the new, Margaret Pole has to find
her own way as she carries the knowledge of an old curse on all the Tudors.

Quotes & Awards

“Loyalties are torn, paranoia festers and you can almost hear the bray
of royal trumpets as the period springs to life. It’s a bloody
irresistible read.”

People

“Bring on the blood, sex and tears! You name it, it's all here.”

USA Today

“Queen of historical fiction, Gregory brings English history to life through the hearts and minds of people, not through dates or wars, but via marriages and family politics. In The King’s Curse, Margaret is a survivor who plays the game as needed, yet holds onto her personal values. This England is rife with grim realities, yet thrilling and compelling—a true feast for the mind and senses.”

RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)

“This rich tapestry brings to vivid life the court of Henry and
Elizabeth. Meticulously drawn characters with a seamless blending of
historical fact and fiction combine in a page-turning epic of a story.
Tudor-fiction fans can never get enough, and they will snap this one
up.”

Library Journal (starred review)

“Gregory adds to her Cousins’ War series an illuminating portrait of historical figure Margaret Pole, Countess
of Salisbury, whose royal Plantagenet lineage was both a blessing and a
curse…Gregory moves confidently through a tangle of intrigue, revenge, and
tyranny toward a shocking betrayal that brings Margaret face-to-face
with the king’s ire.”

Publishers Weekly

“Gregory bids adieu to the bloody War of the Roses and its aftermath as she wraps up her Cousins’ War series with the ascension of Henry VIII…Nobody does dynastic history like Gregory, and readers who have followed the exploits of the fractious York and Lancaster clans in the previous five volumes will be eagerly awaiting this concluding chapter of the saga.”

Booklist

“Lady Margaret Pole, the principal of this installment, is cousin to many Plantagenet heirs of the house of York, including Elizabeth, who married Henry VII, the Tudor conqueror, after he deposed their uncle, Richard III. Elizabeth and her mother, a reputed sorceress, called down a curse upon the Tudors: that they would be unable to produce a healthy male heir and their line would die out in three generations, ending with a virgin queen. As we all know, that came true. However, somehow Gregory manages to keep us in suspense as to what will befall her characters…Under Gregory’s spell, we keep hoping history won’t repeat itself.”

Kirkus Reviews

“Thanks to Bianca Amato’s artistry, the ill-fated stories of Margaret and the House of Tudor brim with life…Amato inhabits every swirling intrigue…Amato’s lovely voice and vocal flexibility create an aura of romance and mystery while sharply defining Margaret’s plight and the king’s mercurial nature. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”

[ShoppingCartItemsAddedOnMerge] audiobook(s) were left in your cart from a previous visit, and saved to your account for your convenience. You may view or remove these audiobooks on the shopping cart page.